David mason



(NO Model.)

B. -MASON. TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SUSPENDED ELECTRIC GONDUGTORS. N0. 444,006. Patented Jan. 6, 1891.

with/2000a I g M 85 M fluom s/ Ma a 274%.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

DAVID MASON, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SUSPENDED ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,006, dated January 6, 1891.

' Application filed May 28, 1890. Serial No. 358,493. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID MASON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tightening Devices for Suspended Electric Conductors, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the drawings forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to devices for tightening or taking up the slack in suspended overhead electric conductors or trolley-wires; and it essentially consists in two relatively-adj usta-ble members, to each of which the wire is secured, so that it may be tightened or loosened accordingly as the members are drawn together or moved apart.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like numbers of reference designate like and corresponding parts throughout, I have illustrated three different forms of the invention in Figures 1, 2, and 3, respectively.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the trolley-wire or suspended electric conductor, which is attached, preferably by its severed ends, to two independently-movable members 6 and 7, which are relatively adjustable, for the purpose of tightening the connected wire, and are acted upon by a spring 8, which may be employed either to force the members apart or to draw them together. This interposed spring 8 tends to automatically adjust the members 6 and 7 into one extreme limit of their movement and has the effect of an interposed yielding medium in the line.

Having reference now to Fig. 1, the adjustable members 6 and 7, to which are attached the trolley-wires, are pivoted in a vertical plane on a shaft 10, which is mounted across the lower ends of a yoke 11,by means of which in part the device or hanger may be swung from an ordinary span-wire. From the shaft 10 is suspended a plate or frame 12, which is shaped suitably to pass from one end of the shaft 10 to the other, so as to embrace the lower parts of the members 6 and 7 and receive at its ends the trolley-wire 5, the ends, preferably, being elongated and formed with the openings 18 to receive the wire. The lower part of the frame or plate 12 is formed with a downwardly-bowed guide-rib 14 for the trolley to pass over from wire to wire, as is clearly indicated in the drawings. The trolley-wire 5, which is preferably severedat the same time, being electrically connected through means of the hanger or tightener, 1s attached, as shown, to the lower ends of its respective members 6 and 7, the upper ends of which are formed each with a perforation 15, through which loosely passes a bar 16, having mounted upon the ends, to the outside of the members 6 and 7, steps 17, which limitthe movement of the members away from each other 011 the bar. These stops may one orboth be adj ustable. In the present instance the right-hand one is shown as fixed, while the left-hand one consists in a nut working on the screw-threaded end of the bar, the adjustment of the nut on the bar serving to adjust the members relatively to each other. This bar 16, which passes under the yoke 11, is surrounded by a spring 8, the ends ofwhich abut against the upper ends of the movable members 6 and 7, respectively, so as to always tend to force the same apart. Of course, if preferred, a reverse action may be obtained by the use of this spring by having the ends thereof fastened to the ends of the respective members 6 and 7 and the spring constructed so as to normally tend to draw the ends of these members together, in which case a spring-tension would be constantly maintained 011 the line.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the adjustable members 6 and 7 are in the form of links which interlock. Between the interlocking ends of the links 6 and 7 is placed the spring 8, which tends to move the links apart in the direction of their length.

In order to provide for the ready replace ment of the spring 8 within the links or for unlocking the links, I make the interlocking end 18 of the link member 7 removable. The outer ends of the link members 6 and 7 are provided with extensions or shanks 19 and 20, respectively. These shanks extend loosely through perforations 21 in the sides of the yoke 11, within which are disposed the interlocking members 6 and 7. Aframe 12 is suspended from the yoke 11, the bottom of which is formed with a longitudinal guide-rib ll for receiving the trolley as it passes over the hanger, the frame 12 being made sufiiciently long to span the extreme range of the outward movement of the ends 19 and 20 of the adjustable members (3 and 7. In order to hold the wire and frame in position the ends of the frame are perforated, as at 13.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 is substantially like that shown in Fig. 2, the difference being that the two adjustable link members 6 and 7 are surrounded by the double cone-shaped spring 8, which, as in the other instance, tends to draw the interlockingmembers together in the direction of their length. In this construction the yoke 11 and the frame 12, over the lower edge ll of which the trolley passes from wire to wire, is practically merged into one piece, which consists in a frame with a large central opening in which lie the interlocking links 6 and 7 and their surrounding spring 8, the shanks 19 and 20 of the respective link members 6 and 7 passing loosely through the perforations 21 formed atthe respective ends of the frame.

\Vhile only the form in Fig. 3 is shown as provided with the insulating-bell 25. and the suspending-hook 23, by means of which the hanger may be suspended from a cross-wire 24:, it will of course be understood that both the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, are designed and intended to be equipped in substantially the same manner. There is no manual adjustment necessary in the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3, since the spring 8 therein serves to automatically take up the slack in the wires or permit any necessary lengthening thereof. By the use of this spring the suspended trolley-wire may be maintained practically uniformly taut under varying conditions of temperature, since any expansion or contraction of the wire due to change in temperature will be automatically compensated for by the spring.

In the use of the device the same is suspended from the cross-wire at frequent intervals, so as to properly sustain the conductor or trolley-wire 5, which is tightened by the adjustable members 6 and 7 being closed on one another, and is loosened by such members being opened or moved apart, as will be readily understood from the drawings. The continuity of the circuit between the severed ends of the conductor 5 may be preserved over the entire apparatus or any desired part thereof, as preferred.

Having thus described myimprovements in tightening devices for suspended electric conductors what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A tightening device for suspended electric conductors, comprising two relatively-adjustable. members to which the conductor is attached, whereby the adjustment of said members may act to tighten the conductors, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A tightening device for suspended electric conductors, comprising two spring-acted relatively-adjnstable members to which the conductor is attached, whereby the adjustment of said members may serve to tighten the conductor, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

A suspended electric conductor having interposed therein a spring acting to tighten the conductor, for the purpose described.

4. A tightening device for suspended electric conductors, comprising two relatively-adjustable interlocking members, to which, respectively, the conductor is attached, and a spring interposed between said interlocking members, normally tending to force them together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with a suspended yoke and two spring-acted relatively-adjustable members mounted thereon, and the electric conductors attached to each of said members, of a frame mounted upon the yoke and swung beneath the said members and the conductors and formed with a guide-rib 1-1 for the trolley to passover, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

(3. The combination with a hanger for a suspended electric conductor, of two relatively-adjustable members 6 and 7, to which the conductor 5 is secured, and a spring 8 for acting upon said members, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with a swinging yoke 11, of the relatively-adj ustable members 6 an d 7, mounted thereon and provided with a spring 8, the conductor 5, attached to said members, respectively, and a frame 12, mounted upon said yoke and provided with a guide-rib 11 for the trolley, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination, with a suspended yoke 11, of apairof relatively-adjustable members 6 and 7, mounted thereon, the conductor 5, attached to the lower ends of said members, respectively, a bar 10, mounted loosely in the upper ends of said members and provided with adjustable stops 17, spring 8, interposed between said members (3 and 7, and a frame 12, passing below said members and formed with the guide-rib 14: for the trolley, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 23d day of May, 1890, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID MASON. [:L. s]

Witnesses:

JOHN L. GRUBBs, Gno. E. SANGSTER.

IIL, 

